Lazy Summer Days
by HopelessRomantic225
Summary: CM. Lazy summer days meant eating PBnJ sandwiches and swimming in our pool with our friends, but lately it's had a more fitting meaning. Ever since Dad left, Mom mopes around, crying. We kids try and stay out of her hair, and hope to God Dad comes back.
1. The Fight

Lazy Summer Days

A/N: Ok, so this idea came from nowhere, but I decided I might try it out and see what I come up with… please let me know if you like it! It takes place 15 years from season 10. The words in italics are flashbacks. Erica and Jack don't exist, and Monica got pregnant right after the show ended. Also, I know Emma is a lot older than I say she is, but I still want her in this fic so I have to make her younger!

Summary: AU/CM. Lazy summer days meant eating peanut butter sandwiches and swimming in our pool with our friends… but lately? It's had a more fitting meaning. Ever since Dad left, Mom mopes around, crying. We kids try and stay out of her hair… and hope to God Dad comes back soon.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Tabby and Allieee, happy birthday to you!" The chorus of our friends and family stopped abruptly, which turned into laughter. My twin sister and I grinned at each other, before blowing out our 13 candles. I saw Mom shed a tear, and Dad hold her close. Our family sat around us, our hair and perfumes mixing in the summer breeze. The crystal clear in-ground pool beckoned us, and we decided to save our gift opening, and cake eating for later. In an instant, Tabby and I held hands, and without changing out of our clothes, jumped into the pool. The gang followed, and soon the only ones not in the pool, was our dog Jake and our cat Bella.

I guess before I tell you about the worst day in mine and Tabitha's lives, I should introduce my family: my big, loud, annoying, and perfect family. About 15 years ago, my mom, Monica, got pregnant with my older brother Daniel. I hate to think about _how_ her and my father, Chandler, did it, so I should move on. They moved to a big house in the suburbs, followed by my "uncle" Joey. Joey is an actor, and all my friends are always trying to get me to introduce them to him, but he isn't really a big movie star to me… Joey and I have always been close. We have very similar personalities, and my mother made him my godfather and my sister's as well. Joey and Phoebe (my godmother) got together right after Danny was born, and have been together since. Joey says her massages are what made him realize his feelings for her, but Phoebe always jokes around saying it was when she flashed him for the first time. They have a son together, named Matthew, who is the craziest, andmost opinionated kid I have ever met.They live just up the street, so they are over all the time.

So, I guess since I have known them my whole lives, they are still considered family. My family by blood though, is my Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel. They may have their ups and downs in their relationship, but you can really tell they are crazy for one another. Ross had a son named Ben a really long time ago, but Ben is away at college so we don't see him often. He is an artist, and is studying to be an art teacher. When Ross and Rachel got together for a one-night-stand, she got pregnant with my brainy cousin Emma. Although they split right after that, they got back together again when Danny was almost one, and have the coolest daughter, Vanessa. Vanessa is _exactly_ like her mother, and I'm not joking. She is a fashion **freak** and always gives Tabby and I makeovers. Emma is 16, almost 17 so she is almost always with her friends and boyfriend. I think out of all my cousins, and even my brothers and sister, I clicked with Vanessa the most. I don't know what it is, but we share a really special bond, and I love her for it. Don't get me wrong, I love all my cousins and siblings the same, but Vanessa gets me, just like how _I_ get my sister.

Ah… my sister… How do I explain her? She's smart, she's quirky, she's talented, and she inherited her cooking abilities from my mother. She's quiet, she's understanding, and I don't think she has ever told a lie her entire life. Hardly one minute older than me, Tabitha Grace Bing was _meant_ to be my sister. I am her complete polar opposite. I'm quirky and talented too, but in totally different ways. I love to write, and excel in English, while Tabby loves to cook, and excels in math. We may be identical on the outside, but on the inside, we couldn't possibly be more different. We have wavy, dark brown hair, while our brothers have our father's plain brown hair. The one thing we all share, though, is our mother's crystal blue eyes. Tabitha and I are both skinny, and tall, and are both girly girls. Okay, so maybe we have _one_ thing in common…

And last, but certainly not least, there's Landon. Landon was the only one who wasn't born healthy. I guess that's kind of an understatement, because I almost died when I was born, due to the cord wrapped around my neck. Landon was born about 2 months early, and weighed 4 lbs, 14 oz. The doctors said he wouldn't make it, but my little tough guy pulled through. The only permanent damage this caused was severe asthma, triggered by anything, and a hole in his heart, fixed by a surgery two years ago. He has been tested for Autism, speech problems, everything, but nothing can explain why he hardly talks. Landon was a quiet baby, a quiet toddler and now a quiet child. He's 9, and has no friends. I feel horrible for him, but Danny always makes sure Landon has toys to play with and a book to read when we go out places. Those two are close like that. I, Allison Taylor Bing, have never met a better brother than Danny. He played Barbie's with me all the time when we were younger, because Tabby was always in the kitchen with our mom. People teased him, but he didn't care. I hate cooking, so I haven't spent as much time with my mom as I should. She isn't _always _cooking, but it's her job, and we simply don't have anything in common.

My dad… my best friend… I definitely inherited his personality. He has been my confidant since I was a little girl, and I can tell him anything. When I am having boy troubles, he is the first to hear about it. My mom and my dad love each other, and it's completely obvious. They hold hands everywhere we go, and are always kissing. Up until mine and Tabby's 13th birthday, I believed this. I truly, and completely believed this. All of us did. No one believed us when Tabby and I claimed we had witnessed the fight that changed all our lives forever. No one. Rachel, Ross, Vanessa and Emma had left just 10 minutes before this, and so did Phoebe, Matt and Joey. Landon was upstairs reading, and Danny was at a friend's house. We were alone. I can't imagine what life would be like if we had not witnessed this. It made something inside the both of us snap, and all I want, more than anything, is to just forget any of it ever happened. But, as most wishes tend to do, it backfired. We couldn't stop thinking about it, instead of forgetting it entirely. The only thing I can't remember about that evening, is why we even stayed to listen in the first place.

"_Hey Allie…do you hear that?" Tabby asked me. We were cleaning up from our party in our back yard, and listening to our ipods that we had just received. She doesn't like loud music, so she always has hers on low volume, while I have mine on high. I took them out of my ears, and I heard it too. She gave me a curious look, before heading off in the direction it was coming from. I followed, and I was soon able to tell it was the voices of our parents. We snuck around the side of our house and stood as out of sight as we could be. _

"_Monica, you aren't being reasonable!" I heard dad shout._

"_Oh, _I'm _the one being unreasonable? You are the one who had an affair and won't own up to it!" Mom shouted back. I gave Tabitha a scared look, and we both inched up a tiny bit, so we could see them._

"_Monica, I swear I didn't cheat on you! You know I love you and the kids more than anything!"_

"_Oh yeah? Well, who was the message on the answering machine for, then? Hmm? On your own daughters' birthday!"_

"_Monica, this is just a misunderstanding!"_

"_No, Chandler, I don't think it is!"_

"_She came onto me at work, but I turned her down. She must have got mad and decided to wreck our marriage by calling and leaving that message! Why else would she leave it on our _home phone line?_ If we were having an affair behind your back, she'd call my cell!"_

"_Chandler, stop lying to me! Just…go inside and take the girls out or something. They've been wanting to spend time with you, since you 'work' so much…"_

"_Monica! I _am_ working!"_

"_Look, I…is that alcohol I smell? Chandler, have you been drinking? On your daughters' birthday, of all days?"_

"_Hey, I am allowed to have a beer or two whenever I want. It's a free country last time I checked."_

"_God, why are you so immature? Why can't you own up to your faults and take responsibility for your actions?"_

"_Oh, okay… so this is still about your accusation that I slept with another woman…so, you're accusing me of being drunk now because I won't tell you that you're right…I see how it is, Mon…"_

"_So, you _have_ cheated on me?" Mom said, tears brimming her eyes. Mine reflected hers, and Tabby and I gripped each others hands for support, dreading our father's answer._

"_No, I haven't…but now I wish I would have…" Then she did it. She slapped him; cold, and hard in the face. He glared at her, hate seeping from both of them. He turned around, threw a chair, and walked off. We gasped and started crying, holding each other as tight as we could. Not really believing my ears or my eyes, I looked back. I saw mom kick the table and knock it over, before sinking to the muddy ground and start crying. I have never seen my mom really cry before, and watching her then made my heart ache. I wanted to go to her, but Tabby held me back. Our father was out of our lives forever, and if we would have just stepped forward before she slapped him, they would have quit fighting, and none of this would have happened. That's when I looked at my wrist watch and realized: our parents split up the minute we turned 13._


	2. The Aftermath

Lazy Summer Days

A/N: Ok, sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I was trying to decide how I wanted to go about the rest of the story. There will be more chapters after this, and I hope this one flows okay! Enjoy! (BTW, this is in Tabby's POV now!)

SATURDAY, JULY 24TH, 2019

To us kids, lazy summer days meant Mom making peanut butter sandwiches, and inviting friends to come over and swim in the pool. We would laugh, and eat, and have the best time of our lives, just hanging around with family and friends. Now? Now that phrase has a whole new meaning. All Mom does is mope around, sighing, and drinking beers. She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, and Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Joey, Uncle Ross, and Aunt Rachel all take turns coming over each day to make sure we had plenty of food, and to take care of Mom. The old bright, funny, and upbeat Mom had been replaced by a sad, and lonely woman; just an empty shell.

About a half hour after their fight, Allie and I were huddled close together on our front porch. We had waited for Mom to go inside, and then we numbly made our way to the porch. We had been there ever since. I kept repeating to myself that it would all be over soon, and this was just a dumb fight. I hoped and prayed that Dad would come back, and I knew for sure Allie thought the same thing.

_Landon came outside and sat next to Allie. He smiled, and tugged on her hand. She glanced at me for a brief moment, and then we both followed him inside, up the stairs, and into his room. He had drawn a family portrait. Dad holding hands with Mom, and us four kids holding hands on either side of them. There, in that picture, all I saw was our broken future._

"_Tabitha! Allison! Landon!" Mom shouted. Her voice was thick with emotion, and I knew she was going to tell us. Landon smiled again, and headed downstairs. I told Allie to go down there and tell her I was in the bathroom and I would be right out. _

"_I have a phone call to make…" I said quietly. She nodded, and followed Landon downstairs. I hurriedly picked up the phone, and dialed the familiar number._

"_Aunt Rachel? Hi, it's Tabby. I know, you always think I'm Allie… Yeah… Hey, um, I really need to talk to you… It's about Mom and Dad…" And so I explained._

_I could hear the strain in her voice as she replied, "Tabby, honey, Chandler and Monica have fights all the time. They make sure you kids don't see them. It's probably nothing that you heard. Your dad would never, ever leave your mom."_

"_I cannot believe you don't believe me! Aunt Rachel, I thought you would understand! You are my mom's best friend! You need to come over! Mom is a mess, I **saw** her. She is getting Danny now, and then she will tell us that our dad is gone! Please come over!" I was frantic now. Tears tried escaping my eyes, but I held them back._

"_Okay, Allie. I will come, but I know it's nothing to worry about. Now, if your mom called you, go down there. I will be there in about five minutes, okay? I love you."_

_I sighed. "I love you too." Then I hung up, and forced my legs down the stairs. _

_Mom paced in front of the couch, and tried very hard not to look any one of us in the eye. She kept muttering to herself, and both Landon and Danny looked scared. Allie and I knew what was coming, but seeing as though Aunt Rachel didn't believe me, I figured no one would. That would be mine and Allie's little secret._

"_Daniel… Allison… Tabitha… Landon… Words can't describe my fear of telling you this. Just a half hour ago, something… big, happened. I can't… I don't want to believe it, but if I don't tell you now, you will just end up asking questions later. Tabby, Allie, I'm so sorry about ruining your birthday. I know you have had a great day, and I feel like killing myself for saying this, but… Your father and I have gotten into a rather huge fight… He left. I… I don't know when he will be back, but for the moment… he's gone. But, no matter what happens, we are all still a family, and I love your father so, so much…" Then, as she spoke those final words, all of her barriers came crashing down with such a force, she sunk into the nearest chair. Landon's face was hard to read, but Danny's held hatred, and pain and agony._

"_You mean, he… he left us? Left you? How could he do that?" Danny said just above a whisper. He now wore an incredulous look on his handsome face, and without another word, stomped up the stairs, and slammed his door. Landon let only a single tear go, and went up to his room as well. It was just Allie, me, and Mom left._

"_Girls… you are taking this well… I'm so sorry…" she cried some more, so I went to comfort her. _

"_Mom, we are here for you, okay? We can live without Dad. You brought in more income anyway. He walked out on us, and there's nothing left to say about it. We just need to move on with our lives…" Suddenly, a shock of rage swept through Allie, I could feel it, and she leaped up from her chair._

"_How can you say that? Tabitha Grace Bing, how dare you say that? He is our father! He helped _create_ us! How can you just give up on him like that! He **will** come back! I know it! We love him, and I know you do too." Mom's face was ghostly pale._

_I scoffed, and stood up to face her. "Allie, why are you sticking up for him? Yes, I loved him, but he broke Mom's heart! She is one of my closest friends on this entire planet, and I… I hate him. She doesn't deserve this!"_

"_Well you know what? **Dad **has always been **my **best friend! While Mom was off favoring you and Danny, Dad listened to my problems! Dad understands Landon like I do! We are close! Maybe if Mom hadn't accused him of cheating on her, all of this wouldn't have happened!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Then, she froze. We both did. I could tell she was mentally kicking herself for letting her anger take control of her again, because of the way her eyes were squeezed shut. She opened them, and stared at Mom, and tried apologizing. Nothing came out. Mom looked afraid, and horrified, and utterly traumatized. She stared at her through glassy eyes, and then spoke in a firm tone. _

"_I never favor any of my children. I love you all the same. Maybe it wouldn't have seemed like it if you had actually **let **me get to know you." Then, she slowly walked out of the living room, leaving me frowning in Allie's direction._

"_She's right you know. And you know what? I love you, Allie… but I don't think I have ever been more disappointed in you than I am right now. You should be ashamed of yourself." And with that, I left her alone to sob and cry alone on the couch, wishing her dad was there. She **always** went to Dad when we fought. _

Now, about two weeks later, Allie and I hardly speak. She hates Mom, and I hate Dad. Right now I am sitting alone in my room, wondering about Dad. Yeah, I hate him, but what is he doing? Where is he? Does he miss us? And most of all: does he miss _me_? Thoughts like that had been swimming in my head for the past hour now, and I have written down what happened afterwards in my diary. I don't know where Allie is right now, but I really miss her.

LATER

After I stopped writing in my diary, I went downstairs to check on Mom. It was 9:00 at night, and she would most likely be up watching television. Sure enough, when I got down there I saw Allie and Danny in a heated conversation in the kitchen, Landon was on the chair opposite Mom just reading. Mom was lying on the couch, like I predicted, watching television.

"Mom, don't you want to go to bed now?" I asked quietly. I gingerly sat down next to her, and the sight almost brought me to tears. She was lying there, half asleep, with an empty beer bottle in her hand. Four others were on the coffee table, and one on the floor. Her hair was greasy, and she had deep bags under her eyes. Tear stains streaked her cheeks, and her skin was sickly pale.

"No honeyy. I'm okayy. Just a lil lonnggerr…" she was asleep. I turned the television off, and covered her up with a blanket. Carefully, I picked up all the beer bottles, and threw them away in the kitchen trash can. Just as I was about to go get Landon and put him in bed, Danny stopped me.

"Look, sis. Allie here has a crazy idea, and I want you to know that you don't have to do it. Don't let her use her… ways, on you. It's risky, but I guess if you agree to it, me and Landon and the rest of the Gremlins will go along with it too." Gremlins… wow, he sure hadn't used that phrase in a long time. Us kids, Danny, Allie, Landon, Emma, Vanessa, and Matt and I were called that by Uncle Joey when we were younger. We always used to pull pranks on the adults, harmless ones of course, and Uncle Joey would call out, "The Gremlins strike again!" and "hunt" us down along with all the other adults. Danny had a certain gleam in his eye, and I knew that whatever Allie's idea was, it was going to get us in a LOT of trouble. But on the other hand, his mischievous smile told me he wanted to do it, and everyone knows Danny _always_ gets his way.

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME IF YOU LIKE IT! Sorry I left it at a cliffhanger, and sorry it is short, but next chapter is where it all plans out, I promise! So review if you want another chapter!


	3. The Plan

Lazy Summer Days

A/N: I like where this story is going so far, so here is my next installment. This is in mixed POV's so I hope you can understand it okay. Someone brought to my attention that Joey would have more contact with Chandler, so I guess I didn't make it clear that no one knew where he was… I know he wouldn't leave Monica after one fight, but I wrote this after I saw the episode where he thought they were over because of one fight, so it was a future spin-off sort of thing. Hopefully this chapter will clear it up better though! Enjoy!

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CHANDLER'S POV – 2 WEEKS AFTER THE FIGHT

After I left my family, life was nothing for me. I went completely into hiding. Joey, Ross, Rachel and Phoebe didn't even know where I was, and I wasn't planning on telling them. I thought it would be best for everyone somehow, me leaving. I stayed at my Mom's summer cabin down at the beach 2 hours away, and stayed there for 2 weeks. As the days passed on, I realized I couldn't go another day without seeing my family. I couldn't imagine going back to them, thinking that they hated me so much they never wanted to see me again, but the selfish part of me still wanted to see them. I ruined my girls' birthday, and the pain intensified little by little as I thought of their future without a father.

Finally, after I had run out of bears for the 4th time in a row, I knew I somehow had to get my life on track. I hoped to God that they would take me back, and love me like they would as if I had never left, but since I knew it wasn't possible, I sought the help of my best friend, hoping he still considered me his, too.

It pained me to pick up the phone, and my arm and fingers felt limp as I tried dialing his number. I couldn't do it, so I cleaned the living room before I brought up my courage again. Cleaning: one of Monica's favorite hobbies. Monica… just thinking about her made my heart race. I hadn't meant any of the things I said to her, so why didn't I go back? Why did I have to stay away for so long? And most importantly, why did I leave her in the first place? I just couldn't understand why I didn't realize how much she meant to me before. Then, it hit me. Thinking about my kids, and my wife, and the yearning I had to see them again brought up the courage I needed buried deep beneath my soul. I called Joey.

"Hello?" Joey answered.

"…"

"Hello? Is anyone there?" he tried again.

"Hey, Joe…It's me…" Silence. "I need to talk to you, man…" Even more silence. "Joey? Please… I need some help, man."

"Chandler… Do you realize just how bad you hurt Monica and the kids? Do you? On Tabby and Allie's birthday, too! How could you, man?" Joey was hysterical.

"Look, Joe, I know what I did was wrong, and I just… I know they hate me, and I'm sorry. All I want is to come back, and forget all of this ever happened, but…"

"But you can't, I know. I wish you would come back too, Chandler. We all miss you."

"But you know they won't take me back. I just wanted to know if you would do me a favor…"

"Sure, man. Anything. Where are you? Do you need me to pick you up?" Joey asked hopefully. I hate bringing him down, but there's nothing left to do. What's done is done, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

"I can't tell you where I am, okay? But I just need some pictures: pictures of Monica, pictures of my children, and pictures of all my best friends and nieces and nephews… my family, Joe. I need something to remember my family." And that was when I lost it. I began to cry, only softly, but I knew Joey could tell. He and Monica were the only people who had ever seen me cry, and I had only cried twice in my entire life.

"Okay, man… I will email them to you. Phoebe and I just got a computer and Ross showed us how to use it. Isn't that cool, man?" I knew he was trying to brighten the mood, but I wasn't in the mood to be cheered up.

"That's great man. Ross knows my email address, so get it from him. I'll talk to you later, Joe. You have always been such a great friend to me, and I love you for it. Tell Mon and the kids I love them and miss them, and I will come back when they are ready to accept me." Then I hung up, and fell asleep on the couch.

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ALLIE'S POV – RIGHT AFTER LAST CHAPTER

"Isn't that like, the greatest plan ever?" I screeched. Danny, Tabby, Landon and I were all huddled around the table in the kitchen. Danny looked eager, Landon looked scared almost, but hopeful, and of course, Tabby looked confused.

"Al, are you out of your MIND? Do you realize how much trouble we will get in if we do that? Yeah, we have the money and all, but that's CRAZY! We could get kidnapped and killed, or in an accident, and besides, we don't even know where he is! Danny and Landon would have to get Matt and Vanessa in on it, and Matt will screw it up because he can't keep a secret any better than Aunt Phoebe!"

"Look, I know it's risky, Tabs, but you don't love and miss Dad like I do. I need him…"

She softened, and so did my brothers. They both tilted their heads down, and twiddled their thumbs. "Allie, I don't think you realize… I love Dad. I do. I miss him, too. I may not have been as close to him as you are, but I still want him to come back. More than anything, actually." This surprised me a great deal, and Landon and Danny too. They both looked up, bewildered.

"Really? You really mean that? So you will go through with 'Operation Homecoming' with me?" she chuckled.

"Yes, Allison. He is my dad too, ya know…" Now it was my turn to smile. This really was going to happen.

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JOEY'S POV – NEXT DAY

_Man, this is going to be hard…_I thought to myself as I walked up Monica's porch. Without knocking, I walked in to the chilly house. Without Monica cooking all the time, the house seemed to lose all its warmth.

"Monica? Are you awake?" I yelled as I walked in. It was 10:00 in the morning, and no one was around.

"In here, Joey!" Monica called from the kitchen. I scrunched up my face in surprise. What was Monica doing in the kitchen? Man, I never thought I would ever think _those _words…

I walked into the kitchen to find Monica doing dishes… in Chandler's t-shirt and boxers. "Hey, Joey."

"Hey, Mon… Look, there is something I have to tell you…"

"No, wait. I have to tell you something first… I… I found something out today, and it made me realize that Chandler isn't here, and he never will be again. I need to get off my ass and start being a mother. I have left everything up to you guys for two weeks while I moped, and that was two weeks too many… Thank you so much for taking care of us… It means more to us than you know. I just… I can't let my kids lose another parent. Losing one must be hard enough…"

"Monica, they didn't _lose_ him…"

"Yes. They did. He isn't here, so for all I know, he is **lost.** But moving on from that, I think I can now officially say that I am done letting Chandler Bing hurt me. I am done wasting myself away while he lives worry free. I'm done."

"But, Mon…"

"Joey, I'm pregnant."

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TABBY'S POV – 10:00 a.m.

"Hey Allie, you awake?" I knocked on her door gingerly.

"Yeah, come in…" I heard her call from behind the door. I walked in, and saw her at her desk typing furiously at her keyboard.

"Allie, what are you doing?" I asked. I pulled up a chair and sat next to her after I closed the door.

"Just making plans for tonight. I have everything in order: a schedule, emergency contacts, our itinerary, a list of things we need to bring, how we will spend our money and how much we need in case of an emergency, and a plan for Danny and Landon. Danny is on the phone now with Vanessa. She is on her way to pick up Matt to take him to the park. She is babysitting him while Aunt Phoebe is at work. When she gets there, Aunt Phoebe wouldn't have left yet obviously, and Danny is going to get her to casually ask how to trace credit cards. You know howshe is good with computers and stuff because of that classshe is taking.Well anyways, bottom line is that Vanessa is going to try and find where Dad is, and since Phoebe won't suspect a thing (cause you know how she is) we can find Dad's location and know where we're going."

"Wow… my twin sister, ladies and gentleman! The smartest, most organized and most mischievous sneaker-outer there ever was!" she laughed.

"I don't think 'sneaker-outer' is a word, but thanks anyway…" she smiled, and continued typing. I sighed, and just read over what she has already typed. Just then, Danny burst in.

"Girls, we have a possible location of Dad. Vanessa found out from Aunt Phoebe how to back trace a credit card, because that is what Aunt Phoebe just learned in her computer class or whatever she is going to, and I guess Aunt Phoebe just thought she was showing off or whatever because she traced Dad's credit card for her without asking any questions what-so-ever! It says that he last used it at a grocery store at a beach about 2 hours away from here! Not only that, but Aunt Phoebe told Vanessa that Grandma has a beach house down there! We found where he is staying! We actually have an address!" I don't think I have ever seen Danny so happy, but then I realized Aunt Phoebe might be oblivious sometimes, but this is pretty self-explanatory. She knew what we were up to, and she was on our side.

"Hey, Dan…?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Aunt Phoebe knows. She isn't stupid." He thought for a moment, and then he grinned.

"Yeah, you are probably right… but she won't tell, right?" I glanced at Allie who was looking worried.

"She won't unless trouble comes. If we are successful, this could really change things around here. Just make sure that when Allie and I leave tonight to go get Dad and bring him home, you and Landon cover for us. Tell Aunt Phoebe we are okay, and we both have our cells. Make sure she keeps everyone occupied tomorrow. Tell her to have all the adults go out, and you and Vanessa offer to baby-sit for free. Then, at around 9:00 make sure Mom is home. We will meet you there at 9:00 sharp. Until then, tell her Allie and I went to Natalie's house, okay? She is our best friend, and we go over there all the time, so hopefully that'll keep Mom from being suspicious. Got that? While everyone is gone and it is just you, Matt, Landon and Vanessa home, set up something romantic. Help Landon cook something up, he is really good for a 9 year old. Get him whatever he needs. Vanessa can decorate, and remind her not to light the candles until 10 minutes before 9, so she doesn't burn the house down. Make sure Matt is occupied, too. He can pick out music, he likes that. Teach him how to make a play-list, and burn it onto a CD for him when he is done. This is VERY important, okay?"

Danny nodded. "Yes, ma'am!" and he left.

Allie shook her head in disbelief. "Ok, _now_ who is the brilliant one? That was great! I have to add all that stuff to their list of things to do!" I smiled, and repeated everything for her to type up. Once everything was in order, we printed it all out, and started packing. _Tonight is going to be a LONG night…_I thought.

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A/N: I hope the plan is pretty clear! Next chapter is the entire plan written up. Then the next one after that will be after Chandler and Monica meet up again. So, all in all, probably about 5 chapters for this story! Only 2 more to go. Review if you want more. 


	4. The Search

Lazy Summer Days

A/N: Just to let you all know that I know this story doesn't seem too realistic, but I thought it would make a good story anyways. It's an AU, so anything can happen. Another note: This is the chapter where everything falls into place, and to do that I need things to go smoothly (or will they?) and there's a lot of stuff I don't know about sneaking out, so if there is anything that just kind of sounds weird to you, let me know! Constructive criticism is welcome. Enjoy!

* * *

TABBY'S POV 

Packing… man I never thought I would have to do so much packing! We would be gone overnight, and we already had one suitcase each. It was 12:30 a.m. when we finally finished, and we had 4 hours to sleep. Allie looked exhausted when she lied down on her bed, and I didn't feel like walking a couple doors down to my own bedroom, so I crashed on hers.

"Al?"

"Yah?" she mumbled. It was pitch black, but I knew she was annoyed.

"Are Landon and Danny asleep? I want to make sure Danny knows the plan inside and out, same goes for Landon…" she sighed, and turned to face me.

"Tabitha, Daniel knows the plan. I gave him a copy of everything before he went to bed, and he is going to wake up at 5:30 to make sure we are gone. Landon will just sleep in I guess, and they will go through with it."

"But… I thought we are leaving at 4:30?" I asked nervously. This whole plan seemed like it really wasn't happening, and I was getting really freaked out.

"Geez, we are. We are leaving at 4:30 but he can't wake up at the same time as us because our combined noise could wake Mom up. If we get up at separate times, there will be less noise. Understand? We have four hours to sleep, I suggest we do that. We will need all of our strength tomorrow." She rolled over back to where she was, and snuggled deeper into the covers. I smiled to myself when I realized just how much she reminded me of Mom.

* * *

ALLIE'S POV

_BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!_

"Ugh, five more minutes…" I muttered to myself as my alarm clock rang out. I heard Tabby grunt in agreement, but reality soon hit me and I realized why it was ringing in the first place. Today was the day that could change our lives forever.

"Tabby! Wake up!" I said, as I hit the snooze button. I sat up, stretched, turned the alarm completely off, and then fell back down.

"Is it four thirty already?" she groaned.

"Yeah, it is. Let's get up. We are going to have to walk a little ways to the bus stop. We have to get dressed and grab our things, let's go!" I stood back up again, and began to get dressed. I decided I would wear the Knicks jersey my dad gave me last year with a pair of jeans. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, and then decided to leave it down. Dad always told me he liked it better down. While I brushed my teeth, Tabby dressed in a black jacket with a pink shirt, and capri's. Soon, after about 15 minutes, we were ready to go. As carefully as we could, we crept down the stairs, and out the front door. This was just too easy.

The more we walked, the more I wished I had brought my bike. The nearest bus stop was a half a mile out of our neighborhood, and we had to pass a main road to get to it. Anyone could see us and tell our mom and get us busted. Tabby and I hid our faces as well as we could, and as the bus stop approached, we hoped to God no one recognized us.

We paid our bus fare, and sat down in the back. There were only a few people on it, and we didn't know any of them.

"Ok, so you know where we are supposed to get off, right?" she asked me. I nodded, and ran over the plan over and over again in my head.

"We have to take this bus into the city, and take the metro to a city just outside the city where the beach house is. Then, we take another connecting bus to the beach, and when we are there we can hail a cab and give him the address we got." I smiled, proud of myself.

"Ok. It's 5:05 now, so when we get to the city about to get on the metro I will call Danny's cell phone and check in."

"Alright. In the meantime, wanna play 20 questions?" we both grinned, and I started first.

* * *

TABBY'S POV

"What time is it?" Allie asked for the 3rd time in 10 minutes. I rolled my eyes, and glanced at my watch.

"It's only 5:25. Ask me one more time and see what happens…" I said threateningly. She sneered, and turned to look out the window. _She's just jealous I beat her in 20 questions, _I thought.

We soon approached our stop, and grabbed our suitcases before stepping off the bus. In silence, we made our way to the metro station, and I called Danny while we waited.

It ringed twice, before someone answered. "Tabby? Why are you calling Danny's cell phone? Where are you?" It was Mom. Fear rose in my stomach, and Allie listened in.

"Hey, ma… Look, I can explain…"

"Danny told me you are at Natalie's, why so early?" Ah, good. Our plan wasn't ruined.

"Yeah, Allie and I are both here. Um, you see, we are planning a special birthday present for you, since it's your birthday next weekend, and this is the only day Nat can help us. We figured we would get there as early as possible so we can work on it all day. So like, don't expect us home until later tonight…" Whoa… I did it. I actually _lied_ to my mother. I never would have thought the first lie I have ever told in my entire life would mean so much.

"Ok… that's fine I guess… But why didn't you tell me?" I knew she believed me, because after all, she knew I wouldn't lie.

"Um, well, it's because it's your present, and I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

"Oh… okay, well, there is something I have to tell you four when you get home, okay? Be home around 9 or 9:30 at the latest, alright?"

"We will, Mom. Call our cells if you need anything. Can you put Dan on the phone?"

"Yeah, sure. Bye sweetie." She said before handing the phone to Danny.

"Oh my god, Dan! Why did she answer your cell phone?" I almost screamed.

"I'm sorry, sis, but she heard me get up and try and make coffee. My phone was right beside her, and she got to it before I did! At least she knows though." He sighed, along with me and Allie. Just then, our metro pulled up, and I said goodbye to Danny. Once I hung up, and Allie and I were seated, we realized at the exact same time: We were on the wrong train.

"Oh my God, ALLIE!" I screeched. "We're going the wrong way! We are going to get lost and we'll never get to Dad! Oh, if only I had been paying attention… ugh, we've ruined it!" I wailed, and put my head in my hands.

"Hey, Tabs, chill. We haven't ruined anything. I still know what train we need to be on and there is a map over there. I'm going to go check it out. You stay put, okay?" I nodded. She left, and came back almost instantly. "Tabitha, move. Quickly! Go as far back as you can go and sit behind those people. Mom's friend Luke is over there on his way to work! He knows us!" I jumped up and ran to the back of the metro with Allie hot on my heels. We waited for the entire ride, and when the doors finally opened we bolted right out. That was close.

We knew we were late, but called to check in anyway after we got off the last metro. All we had to do now was get on a bus, and hail a cab and we would be seeing our dad after all this time. While Allie was buying us a couple of hot dogs, I called Danny again.

"Dan?"

"Yeah it's me."

"How are things going? I hope Matty isn't being too bad…"

"No, he isn't. Things are on schedule. Vanessa is decorating now so she can play with Matt for the rest of the day so he doesn't get bored. It looks great! It's clean, and as much as I **hate** saying this, the bedroom looks very romantic." He gagged. "But anyway, Landon and I decided to make Mom's favorite: lasagna. She told you guys a funny story about that, or at least that's what Landon said… anyway, once dinner is ready we will just leave it in the oven so it'll stay warm for tonight."

"Wow… so you guys have everything under control?" I was very pleased with how this was going so far, but for some odd reason I had this strange feeling that something was wrong.

"Um… yes. Everything is great. There is just… one thing. Uh, you see, I told Aunt Phoebe the plan, and she is very pleased with us. She's proud, I guess. She and all the adults just left 15 minutes ago to go to breakfast and to a movie and other stuff. I think they are going to their favorite hangout from back before our time… Um… Central Perky? Something like that. But uh… They will be back at 6, not 9. Mom didn't want to leave us alone for that long, and she's gotten really protective since Dad left and all… She says there is something she wants to tell us, too. I don't know what, though."

"Ok… uh… thanks for the update. We'll be in touch. Hopefully we can get to Dad in time. We'll try. Bye, Dan."

"Bye." Crap. I knew something was wrong.

* * *

ALLIE'S POV

I fell asleep on the bus, while leaning on my sister's shoulder. I was exhausted, and it just took over me. I will never forget the nightmareI had. It was just clips, really. Allie and I going into the house, looking for Dad, not finding him. That panicy feeling was embedded in us. I remember looking at this picture of Dad partying at some strip club, and a note right next to the picture. They were both sitting on the counter. _Party tonight at 8:00_. I remember my stomach sinking, and the realization that we had failed. Everything after that was a blur. Tabby woke me up, and we stepped off the bus. I told her about it in the taxi, and she brushed it off, saying it was only a dream. It just seemed so real.

* * *

TABBY'S POV

After continuous bus rides, metro rides, walking, and taxi's, we had finally made it. I almost didn't believe it. It was 3:30, and we had made it on time. We had gotten lost several times, and we had been traveling all day, only stopping twice for food and bathroom breaks. We were both exhausted.

As I looked up at the beach house, I noted that our Grandma (who we still had not met) must be filthy rich. The house was 2 stories high with white siding, and a huge wrap-around porch. It had a three car garage, and when I peaked over the fence, I saw a huge swimming pool. _No wonder Dad came here…_

After taking a deep breath, grabbing Allie's hand, and walking up the stairs to the front door, we knocked hesitantly. No answer. We knocked again, a little more loudly, and still no answer. Impulsively, I turned the doorknob with my free hand, and we both gasped when the door opened. Cautiously, we stepped inside. I wanted to snoop so badly, but my instincts told me not to. We slowly searched the house, but saw no signs of Dad.

As I stepped into the final room upstairs, the study, I saw something up on his computer screen. It was his email. Only one message was in his inbox, and it was from Uncle Joey. Making sure no one was watching me, I sat down in the chair and opened up the email attachments. There were tons of pictures. I almost started crying as I viewed them one by one; pictures of us kids when we were babies, pictures of Mom holding us when we were born, birthday pictures, even the ones of mine and Allie's when Dad left us. Then, as I came to the final picture, tears began to stream down my face, and I realized what would happen if we were to fail our mission. The final photo was of Mom and Dad on their wedding day. She had her arms around his neck, and he was smiling down at her, and they were dancing. Slowly, you could tell. I gazed at the photo for a few minutes, pretending they were still as happy as they looked in the picture, and for a moment I almost didn't hear Allie calling me from downstairs.

"Tabby! Come here!" she yelled. I sighed, exited out of the email, and trotted down the steps.

"What's up?" I said sadly. She gave me a sad look, her eyes watering, and handed me a slip of paper from the counter.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Just read it."

I looked at it, read it over, and I understood.

"You must have Aunt Phoebe's gift," I said. She nodded sadly, and put her head in her hands. Dad had already left to go to a party, the note said so. We were too late.

* * *

ALLIE'S POV

We stayed at Dad's for about an hour after that. I guess you could say we were waiting for him to come home, although we knew he wouldn't just yet. The party wasn't one of those late ones that end at midnight; just a get together with one of his friends. It said 3 – 6 on the piece of paper, and we knew if only we had kept it at 9 we could have been successful. While Tabby took a short nap in Dad's bed, I went through his clothes. I soon found my favorite t-shirt of his that I always used to wear, ever since I was a baby, balled up at the bottom of his closet. It was a simple t-shirt, just grey with a pocket on the chest. I loved it though. Dad always told me that when I was about 4, I found it and put it on thinking it was a dress, and he couldn't get it off of me since. Up until I was about 11, anyway. That's when I started following trends, and caring about my looks. No "cool" girl would be caught dead wearing her father's t-shirt, even if it was just to sleep in.

I pulled it over my head on top of my clothes, and smelled it. It reminded me of Dad. I soon started to cry, and left the room as quietly as I could so I wouldn't wake up Tabby. I just huddled myself into the fetal position in the connecting bathroom and stifled my sobs. Almost right after I went in there, Tabby followed. She hugged me, and stroked my hair. She knew I was close to Dad, and soon the anger Tabby had been feeling 2 weeks ago was starting to grow in me.

Knowing there was nothing else we could do, we decided to leave. Most of our money was used up, and we had just enough to get us back without food, so we grabbed some bags of chips and turkey wraps from the cabinets and the fridge. As a father, he still had the right to feed us. With one last look at the beach house, we turned the corner, and started walking to the nearest bus stop. What happened next as we almost arrived surprised both of us. Never in our wildest dreams had we imagined this happening. We passed Dad.

We didn't notice him at first, but we soon realized it was him. He had sunglasses on along with baggy clothes. All 3 of us turned around at the same moment, and just stared at each other. He dropped his bag, as did Tabby and I. Our jaws went slack, and my breath was caught in my throat. For an instant, we only stood there, but after a second or two, I ran to him. He caught me in a big hug, and wrapped his strong arms around my small frame. We both cried, and I could tell Tabby was just standing there, still staring. I always loved the smell of my dad, and as I took a deep breath, his cologne calmed my nerves, and I almost forgot where I was. Slowly, we both pulled away, both of us wiping at our eyes.

He looked at Tabby hopefully, but she only stared with her big blue eyes. He nodded, and put his arms down. After clearing his throat, he finally said something.

"Girls, what on Earth are you doing here? Does your… does your mother know you're here?" I gave Tabby a look before turning back to Dad.

"What are YOU doing here? We thought you were going to a party..." I said. He lowered his eyes.

"Well, I was. A friend of mine is trying to help me out. I told him I wasn't ready, and started walking back home. But you never answered my question."

"Dad, we have to tell you something, but I don't want to do it here. Your place is only a couple blocks away, so let's walk there and we'll explain, okay?" he nodded, and we walked in silence back to his place. Actually, we didn't say another word until we were in his living room. He was seated on his couch, cracking his knuckles nervously, while Tabby and I stood in front of him.

"Ok, what is going on?" he asked. We both took a deep breath, and told him everything.

"Dad, let me just start off by saying this: we love you. We miss you so much. All four of us kids, and our aunts and uncles and cousins all forgive you. We want you to come back home more than anything in the world."

"I really appreciate you saying that, Allie."

"I know, Dad. And I mean it. Now, as to why we're here… When you left, Mom became a wreck. She drinks all the time, sleeps all the time, never cleans, and never cooks. We have been living off everyone in our family's cooking except for Mom's these past 2 weeks. She has been so sad, and we hate seeing her like that. So, yesterday, I came up with a brilliant plan."

"And this plan involves risking your lives to come to me?" he said hysterically.

"Dad, we're not risking our lives…"

"Yes, you are. Coming here on buses and taxi's and metro's… that's risky!" I snickered. He still had that overprotective "Dad-ness" still with him.

"Ok, you're right. But that's besides the point. Basically, we left this morning to come find you, and luckily we were able to get your address. Vanessa, Matt, Danny, and Landon are setting up the house as we speak. We are supposed to get you home at 6. Aunt Phoebe is in on it too. She has all the adults out, and she most likely told Aunt Rachel, Uncle Ross, and Uncle Joey, too."

"So… let me get this straight. You come here to find me and bring me home, and everyone else is setting up the house… Are you trying to get your mom and I back together? Are you hoping we will just reunite, just like that?"

I thought for a moment.

"Yeah, daddy… we are. Aren't you?" His eyes began to well up, and he put his head in his hands.

"More than you will ever know, Allison."

Tabby wiped at her eyes, and sat down next to him. She wrapped an arm around him, and whispered, "Everything is gonna be fine, daddy. Mommy still loves you, I know it."

* * *

A/N: Well, thats it for now. Review for another chapter! Hope you liked this one!


	5. The Ending

Lazy Summer Days

A/N: Ok, this is the last chapter. I just wanna say thanks to everyone who has reviewed, and hopefully you will read some of my other stories. I didn't get as many as I wanted, but oh well. I couldn't decide on which song to use for this chapter, but I finally decided on this one: Crawling Back to You but the Backstreet Boys. I love, love, love this song, and I recommend it to all of you! So, I guess no more with the rambling. Enjoy!

* * *

CHANDLER'S POV

As I sat in the car with my two beautiful daughters, I thought, very hard I must admit, about all of my wrongdoings in the past 2 weeks. Actually, more like the past 2 years. I would always take Monica for granted, by not being able to do things with the kids because of stupid, selfish reasons, and expect her to fill in for me. I would go out a lot with the guys and not even tell her. The worst, though, is not telling her about when that girl hit on me at work and I kissed her. I kept it to myself, and it stayed locked up in a box in my heart for a few months. I told her a week before Tabby and Allie's birthday, and since then she accused me of having an affair. I don't really blame her though. I would do the same.

As we drove along in silence, my mind conjured up tiny flashes of memories, fond ones and heartbreaking ones. The girls were silent, and it helped me reminisce without feeling completely guilty and bursting into tears. It wasn't until I almost ran off the road did the girls say something.

"Dad! Please don't crash! We're _this _close to getting you and Mom back together again." Allie held her almost pinched fingers in the air. "That's kinda hard to do in a hospital bed." Tabby laughed. That's how it was for them two. Allie would make a joke, and Tabby would laugh. Exactly like me and Monica.

"What's bothering you, Dad? Aren't you excited about being home again?" Tabby asked anxiously. The tiny flurries of memories vanished instantly, and I was left looking back and forth from the lonely road to my twin girls.

"Of course I am sweetie," I reassured her. I wouldn't want her thinking they came all this way for nothing. Like I told Joey, 'I will come back when they are ready for me to come back.' And obviously, they were.

* * *

_Everybody knows that I was such a fool to ever let go of you  
Baby I was wrong_

_

* * *

_

DANNY'S POV

As I admired the work we had done, I shook my head in amazement. The four of us, me, Landon, Vanessa, and Matt, had done it. We cleaned the house, decorated, made two CD's filled with the cheesiest love songs, and made a delicious dinner. It was almost time for Tabby and Allie to get here with Dad, and almost time for Mom to come home to him. The younger ones watched TV to pass the time, while Vanessa began drawing at the desk by the window. I, on the other hand, decided to shoot some hoops, something Dad and I always used to do together. As I shot a few baskets, I began to wonder: If he stays for good, will things go back to the way they were before? Would Dad still do the things he used to do with all of us? He didn't do _many _things, but it's the little things that count, right?

As I missed my first basket after playing for five minutes, my cell phone rang. It was Allie.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered.

"Nothing much. We found Dad and are heading back now. We're about an hour out. Is Mom home yet?" It was already 5:30, if they didn't hurry, they wouldn't make it.

"Not yet. I can try to call Aunt Phoebe to see if she can stall any longer. You need to hurry!"

"I know, Danny. We're trying. We ran into a bit of traffic about a half hour ago and it put us behind. Keep Mom away from the house until we get there, okay?" I groaned. I was always stuck with the messy job.

"Ok, but I can't guarantee anything," I said. She said ok, and we said our goodbyes before hanging up. Then, I called Aunt Phoebe.

"Hello?" Mom answered.

"Hey, Mom. It's Danny. Can you, uh, put Aunt Phoebe on the phone…?"

"Yeah sure honey. Is everything ok? Is everyone alright?" she sounded worried. It kind of made me want to laugh a little.

"Yes, Ma. We're fine."

"Ok, well, here's Phoebe. Love you!" _Why is Mom so paranoid_? I thought.

"Hey Danny. What's up?" Aunt Phoebe answered the phone.

"Hey, look, Tabby and Allie are about an hour away, so can you stall until I call you again? I will let you know when they get here, but for the meantime we have to keep Mom away from the house."

"Ok… Ok, uh… I'll try. We've been at Central Perk all day, and she keeps mentioning how worried she is about you. I don't know why, but I think she suspects something is going on. You are going to have to be more subtle," she whispered.

"Please tell me you're not near her!" I whispered hysterically.

"No! No, I'm not _that_ stupid! I'm in the bathroom. Look, just call me when they're there. If I can't keep her out any longer I'll call you. Ooh Ooh! Can we have a secret code?" I smirked. Typical Aunt Phoebe.

"Sure. Just tell me that Matt can't have a snack or something. Something about Matt, and I will know you are telling me you're on your way, without Mom being suspicious. I mean, cause he is your kid and all."

"Ok, this is so much fun! I'll talk to you later. Bye!" We hung up. I hoped to God Mom wasn't listening to that conversation because then our entire operation would be ruined.

* * *

_Yeah I know I said we'd be better off alone  
It was time that we moved on  
I know I broke your heart, I didn't mean to break your heart_

_

* * *

_

MONICA'S POV

Ever since I told Joey I was pregnant, he's been giving me these looks. They weren't sad, or upset, or even happy for that matter. I have always been able to read his every facial feature, but this one I couldn't decipher. We were sitting in Central Perk, just like we always used to do. Gunther was still here, and it was like old times again. Except for the fact that Chandler wasn't with us.

I mentioned the fact that we were missing someone, I just didn't remember who. I was joking, of course. The tension in the air only grew, and Joey started giving me the look again. I guess you could say it was hopeful, or possibly even regretful. Guilty? No, I don't think so. More like a mix between sorry and sympathetic. Rachel and Ross were as cuddly as they always used to be when they were going out the first time, and Joey had his arm around Phoebe. I was like a 5th wheel trying to forget the 6th.

When Phoebe snuck off to the bathroom to talk to Danny, I followed her. I wasn't planning on listening to their conversation, but it seemed pretty odd he wanted to talk to her in private. Danny always told me everything. I couldn't hear much through the door, but I caught bits and pieces. I knew something was going on, and I was planning on doing everything in my power to find out what it is.

I sat back down in my seat, followed by Phoebe. She was calm and composed, but her demeanor changed instantly when I mentioned wanting to go home.

"What? You, you can't yet. We hardly ever just sit around and talk anymore!" she whined.

"Phoebe, that's all we ever do…" I replied. That phrase sounded really familiar. Rachel said the exact same thing when Ross was dating Julie.

"Well, I don't want to go just yet. Let's wait an hour… or two. Let's go to dinner!" Ross and Rachel and Joey agreed, but I was persistent on going home. I knew I had to tell them about me sooner. They were my best friends, besides Chandler of course. Normally, I would have told him first, but since it's a different story now, they had to know.

"Guys, I want to go home because… because… Joey, you do it." I looked down.

"Monica's pregnant!" He shouted. People at other tables looked over at us, and the gang gasped. "What?" "Oh my god!" "You're kidding!" and "Really?" all came at me at once. I explained myself, and we were back to that solemn mood again.

Just then, Phoebe called Danny and said something about Matt not being able to eat meat. I don't know why she called him, but after she did, we all stood up to leave. It was a half an hour drive, and I needed to get home so I could figure out what the hell was going on behind my back.

* * *

_But baby here I am  
Banging on your front door  
My pride spilled on the floor_

_

* * *

_

TABBY'S POV

After we got the call from Danny, Dad sped up at least 20 miles an hour over the speed limit. If we got a ticket and he didn't get the chance to reconcile with Mom, I was going to be pissed. After about 40 minutes of driving, we arrived in our luxurious neighborhood. The only problem was, is that we saw Mom's car parked in the driveway. We were too late.

Dad parked his car a block away, and we ran in the rain, leaving our stuff in the car of course, to the house. Like secret agents we made our way through the back door, leaving Dad outside. I didn't see anyone anywhere. The house was empty. I called Danny's cell, and after four rings he answered.

"Hey! Are you home?" he asked.

"Yes! Where the hell is everyone?" I knew Dad could hear me but I didn't care. Allie was checking for notes in the kitchen.

"We went out! It was the only way to buy time. I told Mom Jake and Bella ran away so everyone is out looking for them. They're upstairs in my room though. We're about 2 minutes from home, please tell me you're there!" Dan was hysterical.

"Yeah, we're here. Did Mom see the house?"

"No, I ran out to stop her just in time. Didn't we do a good job?"

I laughed. "Yes, you did. Inform all of the adults about our plan in case they don't know already. Have them leave right when they get home. I know they want to see Dad, but him and Mom need to get back together first. Send Matt and Vanessa home too. Allie, Landon, you and I are all going to head upstairs and leave Mom and Dad alone, okay?"

"Ok, see you soon. By the way, I'm riding with Aunt Phoebe and Mom is with Uncle Ross and Aunt Rachel. I have to call them. See you soon!" We hung up. Allie and I scrambled up the stairs, while Dad came in and stood in the kitchen, waiting for Mom. We huddled in a ball by the door, hoping and praying that our plan worked. Soon, we heard foot steps coming up the stairs, and we knew the last step in Operation: Homecoming had begun.

* * *

_My hands and knees are bruised and I'm crawling back to you  
Begging for a second chance  
Are you gonna let me in?  
I was running from the truth and now I'm crawling back to you_

* * *

CHANDLER'S POV

I saw the back of Landon and Danny's heads as they ran up the stairs. They didn't want to draw attention to me, and I'm glad. I stood in the corner of the kitchen, just waiting for Monica to walk in. I was nervous, and scared, and I soon realized I felt completely out of place here, like I was in someone else's house. I heard keys jingle as she put them on the hook by the door, and she sighed. I melted.

Her footsteps were coming closer and closer by the second, and my knees got weaker and weaker. What was I going to say? What was I going to do? I heard her gasp, and I saw the mail drop slowly from her hand. She held the counter for support, and stared at me with her beautiful blue eyes. We stayed in the exact positions for a minute or so, before I finally pulled my voice from deep within me, just enough to say her name.

"Monica…" It seemed like a strange new word to me. I haven't said it in ages, but yet it sounded so familiar coming off my lips.

"Chandler… how? Why? What… what is… I thought… You're here," she finally managed to say. I nodded, and walked towards her cautiously. I didn't want to overcrowd her.

"Monica, we have to talk…" she nodded, and we walked over to the couch and sat what seemed to me like miles apart. All I wanted was to feel her hand in mine, but we had a long way to go before then.

* * *

_I know you're in there and you can make me wait  
But I'm not gonna wait  
It's the least that I can do, just to tell you face to face  
I was lying to myself, now I'm dying in this hell  
Girl I know you're mad, I can't blame you for being mad  
But baby here I am_

* * *

MONICA'S POV

Everything that had happened in the last five minutes was one big blur to me. I remember seeing Chandler standing by the sink in the kitchen, and now we were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, just staring at one another. I remember seeing dinner set on the table, and I heard some kind of music in the background. I was so confused. My head was spinning on an endless carousel going God knows how many miles per hour. After a couple of minutes of a very uncomfortable silence, we both spoke.

"I'm so sorry." How ironic. We spoke at the same time, saying the same thing. Hopefully, both meaning it as much as the other.

"Monica, you have nothing to be sorry for. I was the jerk. I should never, EVER have left my family, and I will always pay the price of knowing I disappointed you," he said, looking me dead in the eyes. I always loved his eyes. They were green sometimes, blue other times, and always had a certain sparkle to them whenever he smiled.

"Chandler, I drove you away! If I hadn't have accused you for something I shouldn't have believed you would do, none of this would have happened. I am a horrible wife, and a horrible mother…" she started to cry. Normally, I wouldn't be so emotional after a fight, and I could tell he noticed. He and the kids were the only ones who didn't know about my pregnancy.

"No you're not. I am a terrible father. A true father would never abandon his children, even for a day. I was gone two weeks, although it seems like longer. I need to spend more time with them, and be there for them to make up for all the times I wasn't. I need to treat you like I did when we first got married: as my obsession. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone, and it breaks my heart a thousand times when I hurt you. I promise, if you just give me one more chance I will be so much better than I ever was. I'll do anything just to get you back, Monica. Without you, I am just a broken man, and I can't live with myself without you." I cried; long, and hard. He just held me, and rocked me back and forth.

"Chandler, I can't just pretend like this never happened, because it did. You coming in here and making the most touching speech I have ever heard can't make me take you back, and just forget about these past two weeks. As much as I would like to, I can't. Look, I'm kind of hungry, and the kids made us dinner, so…" Then it dawned on me. "Wait a second… Danny told me they made **me **dinner... I didn't know it was for you too. The music… did you do that?"

"No, that was them, too. Don't you know how I got here? I figured Danny would have told you by now…" Now, I was really confused. He looks like he just spilled the beans somehow by the look on his face, and it all fell into place.

"Did a couple of our kids go get you? Tabby and Allie? Did Danny, Vanessa, Landon and Matt put all this together? Are they putting you up to this?" I was humiliated and appalled.

"No! Well, yes they came to get me, and yes the others put this together, but I came willingly! I was afraid to come back because I thought you wouldn't take me back. Tabby and Allie made me realize that I needed to push my fears aside if it meant getting everything I've always wanted. Come on, I'll explain everything over dinner." I kept quiet, and followed Chandler to the already set dinner table. We had A LOT of things to talk about.

* * *

_Banging on your front door  
My pride spilled on the floor  
My hands and knees are bruised and now I'm crawling back to you  
Begging for a second chance  
Are you gonna let me in?  
I was running from the truth and now I'm crawling back to you_

* * *

CHANDLER'S POV

After dinner was done, and Monica and I were sitting side by side on the couch, she started to cry again. I had told her about the girls' plan, and how everything worked. I told her how sorry I was, and if she wanted me to leave I would understand. I didn't get a reply from that one. We were sitting in silence, I was waiting for my answer, and she was thinking of one. Or so I thought.

What she said next hit me harder than an 18-wheeler on a highway.

"I'm pregnant…"

I couldn't believe it. I had lost my chance. I nodded, and sighed. I took one last look in her eyes, and made my way towards the door.

"Chandler? Where are you going?" Her voice was small and weak. That feminine, sexy, sultry voice she used to have was now replaced by a quiet, high pitched, almost childish one. I turned around. Had I heard her correctly?

"I thought… I thought you didn't want me to stay… do you? I mean, if you want to raise the baby with it's father, I understand… I just…"

"Chandler…?" she stood up and walked towards me. "The baby is yours, dummy." And for the first time in about 2 ½ weeks, I saw her smile.

* * *

_If you could see these tears I'm crying  
Touch these hands that can't stop shaking  
Hear my heart that's barely beating  
You will see a different man  
_

_But baby here I am  
Banging on your front door  
My pride spilled on the floor  
My hands and knees are bruised and I'm crawling back to you (come on)  
Begging for a second chance  
Are you gonna let me in? (let me in)  
I was running from the truth, now I'm crawling back to you_

_

* * *

_

ALLIE'S POV

I heard everything. All four of us did. We had been on the stairs listening to every word they had said since they moved to the couch. We smiled, and Tabby started to cry with joy. Landon could hardly contain his excitement. We could just barely see them at the door, but I could see they were hugging. I saw Dad's face, and he saw me. He mouthed, "Thank you," and closed his eyes. Mom's face was buried in his neck, and he was stroking her back slowly. I grinned to myself, and signaled for everyone to give them some privacy. I don't know what happened next, but I do know they both went to their bedroom next. Our plan, my plan, worked. We had been successful in bringing our parents back together, and nothing made me happier than knowing about my little brother or sister.

Knowing our jobs were successfully completed, the four of us separated into our respectful bedrooms, and fell fast asleep.

* * *

7 ½ MONTHS LATER – CHANDLER'S POV

I couldn't help but jump for joy as I ran towards the waiting room. Joey, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, Matt, Vanessa, Emma, Ben, Danny, Landon, Allie, Tabby, and Monica's parents were all waiting anxiously when I burst into the room. Half of them stood up at once needing to know the details. I paused, to add effect, and proudly announced: "It's a girl!" Everyone stood up to congratulate me, and ask about Monica all at once.

"Well, mother and daughter are doing great, and she will see all of you a few at a time. My kids, she wants you first."

"Do you have a name yet?" Judy asked.

"No, Monica and I both felt that because our lovely children made all of this possible… Me being here, and us finally being a family again, that… they get to name her. Any name they like that's approved by us." I smiled at my kids, and they all stared back at me with a look of surprise and happiness. I led them to Monica's room, and we all gathered around our newest member, gazing upon her beautiful face. Monica looked tired, but I don't think she could be any happier than at this exact moment.

"So guys… what do you think?" she asked.

Our kids whispered in each other's ears a couple times, and finally came to a decision.

"Well, the tribe has spoken, and we have decided on a name," Danny said proudly.

"We like Olivia Claire. Olivia, because that's the name of Dad's best friend who died when he was young, and Claire because that's the name you picked out for the baby you lost a few years ago. Dad told us, Mom." Tabby said. I gazed at them with a proud look in my eyes, and gazed down at Monica. She seemed to approve. I held my finger out to my new daughter, and as she grabbed it with her tiny fist, I whispered, "Welcome to the family, Olivia Claire."

* * *

A/N: Well, I'm finally done. I really hope you liked it! 


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